2019–20 Response to Parliamentary Committees and External Audits

House of Commons

ACVA

In February 2019, The Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs (ACVA) tabled its 11^th report, Indigenous Veterans: From Memories of Injustice to Lasting Recognition. The Committee’s report examined the services offered to Indigenous Veterans with a focus on the specific needs and issues faced by this population.

• Report 11 – Indigenous Veterans: From Memories of Injustice to Lasting Recognition was presented to the House on February 8^th, 2019.
  • The Government Response to the Committee was tabled on May 30^th, 2019 and provided a recommendation-by-recommendation update on progress made to address the Committee’s concerns.

In May 2019, The Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs tabled its 12^th report, Moving Towards Ending Homelessness Among Veterans. The Committee’s report examined the challenges faced by homeless Veterans, the causes that lead to their homelessness and Veterans Affairs Canada’s efforts to address this issue.

• Report 12 – Moving Towards Ending Homelessness Among Veterans was presented to the House May 1^st, 2019.
  • A Government Response was requested and was due to be tabled within a 120 calendar day period as stipulated in the Standing Orders. However, the House of Commons was dissolved on September 11^th, 2019 for the federal general election, which immediately puts an end to the requirement to respond to House committee reports.

In June 2019, The Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs tabled its 13^th report, Medical Cannabis and Veterans’ Well-Being. The Committee’s report examined the implication of Veterans’ mental health as it relates to medical cannabis through the medical cannabis program administered by Veterans Affairs Canada.

• Report 13 – Medical Cannabis and Veterans’ Well-Being was presented to the House June 6^th, 2019.
  • A Government Response was requested and was due to be tabled within a 120 calendar day period as stipulated in the Standing Orders. However, the House of Commons was dissolved on September 11^th, 2019 for the federal general election, which immediately puts an end to the requirement to respond to House committee reports.

In June 2019, The Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs tabled its 14^th report, Effects of Mefloquine Use Among Canadian Veterans. The Committee’s objective was to hear from recognized medical, scientific, and research experts on the effects of the anti-malaria drug, mefloquine.

• Report 14 – Effects of Mefloquine Use Among Canadian Veterans was presented to the House June 19^th, 2019.
  • A Government Response was requested and was due to be tabled within a 120 calendar day period as stipulated in the Standing Orders. However, the House of Commons was dissolved on September 11^th, 2019 for the federal general election, which immediately puts an end to the requirement to respond to House committee reports.

Senate

There were no Senate committee reports requiring a response by Veterans Affairs Canada in 2019–20.

2019 Spring Reports of the Auditor General of Canada

Report 1 – Call Centres

This audit focused on whether Employment and Social Development Canada; Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; and Veterans Affairs Canada

• provided clients with accessible and timely call centre services;
• reported on their call centre performance in a way that was relevant to clients, transparent, consistent, and verified to confirm accuracy; and

The audit also focused on whether the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and Shared Services Canada provided a strategy and support to enable these services.

Recommendations and Response

• Veterans Affairs Canada should review how it provides access to its call centre by the deaf and hard of hearing and ensure its decisions are based on caller feedback.
  • The option to contact Veterans Affairs Canada using Teletypewriter (TTY) is now operational and its availability was communicated internally and externally in September 2019. VAC implemented an automated telephone survey in fall 2018 which consisted of a brief automated telephone survey to assess clients’ degree of satisfaction with services provided through its call centre. The results of the survey have been promising and continue to be monitored. Management is committed to continuous improvement and will review the findings from future VAC National Surveys against/in accordance with the post-call survey results to ensure decisions are based on caller feedback.
• Employment and Social Development Canada; Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; and Veterans Affairs Canada should:
  • set call centre service standards that are relevant to clients and consider client feedback as per the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Guideline on Service Standards, and
  • publish call centre service standards and performance results in a transparent and consistent manner and verify the results to confirm accuracy.
    • VAC is currently keeping track of its performance results as well as client feedback. VAC will continue to review the post-call survey in order to take the pulse in regards to caller satisfaction and better inform future changes and will continue to build the proper tools and metrics in order to measure the accuracy of the information being relayed.

• There were no audits in 2019–20 requiring a response.